Sub-zero minimums in seven states and territories

Every Australian state and territory except the Northern Territory experienced sub-zero minimums overnight, with a lowest recorded nationwide reading of -7°C at Thredbo Top Station.

Six states or territories had minimums of -3°C or lower, with the chilly night occurring in clear, dry, mostly calm conditions that followed a polar airmass crossing southeastern Australia on Thursday.

Frost near the coast

A frosty morning was on the breakfast weather menu not just for residents of inland regions, but for people in many low-lying locations situated not too far from the coast.

For example, the mercury fell to -0.5°C at Richmond in northwestern Sydney. This was the first sub-zero temperature recorded in the Sydney basin this year.

Minimums across Australia on Friday July 24, 2026
Image: 24-hour observations for Richmond, NSW, on the Weatherzone app.

Moruya Airport on the NSW South Coast is located a stone’s throw behind the sand dunes of a surf beach, yet the mercury there still went as low as -0.6°C.

Meanwhile downtown Sydney had its coldest night to date in 2026, with a low of 7.1°C at the city’s Observatory Hill weather station.

In South Australia, several weather stations in very close proximity to the coastline shivered through temperatures around zero, including Port Pirie Airport (-0.2°C).

Overnight lows for each state and territory

The lowest officially recorded temperature in each state and territory to 9 am this Friday, July 24, was:

NSW -7.0°C at Thredbo Top Station

ACT -6.0°C at Mt Ginini

VIC -5.7°C at Mt Hotham

TAS -4.7°C at kunanyi/Mt Wellington

WA -4.4°C at Salmon Gums

SA -3.4°C at Yunta and Yongala

QLD -1.2°C at Applethorpe

NT 5.9°C at Alice Springs Airport

Snow falls to low levels in Tasmania

Tasmania was at its most picturesque on Thursday and Friday after snow fell briefly to as low as 300 or 400 metres on Thursday, settling in a thick blanket at higher elevations.

Image: A snowy scene in the vicinity of Cradle Mountain (the mountain itself was obscured by cloud) on July 23, 2026. Source: @damobozo / Threads

The Tasmanian town of Sheffield is located at just 280 metres above sea level, and you didn’t have to gaze up too high in the hills behind town to see the snowline.

Image: Sheffield, Tasmania on July 23, 2026. Source: @tasmanians_trips / Threads 

Meanwhile around 2 to 5 centimetres of snow fell at the alpine resorts on the mainland. While that freshened the surface, it didn’t make a huge difference to the depth of the overall snowpack.

The good news is that several nights of ideal snowmaking conditions appear likely until at least early next week. Check the Weatherzone snow page for the latest forecasts, live cams and more.